Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage
by Alfred Lansing

List Price: $14.95
Our Price: $8.56
You Save: $6.39 (43%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.50 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions

Book Summary Information

Book Reviews of Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

Book Review: Through endurance, we conquer.
Summary: 5 Stars

This is a story of a shipwrecked attempt to traverse the entire Antartic continent. After Shackleton's boat, The Endurance, was caught in dangerous pack ice the crew was forced to abandon the ship. For 2 years, they lived in the harshest climate in the world, subsisting on seals, penguins, and "hoosh." Their spirits were kept high by the commanding leadership of Sir Ernest Shackleton.

In an almost unbelievable tale, Shackleton realizes that they stand no chance stranded on the pack ice waiting for rescue. After several failed attempts to trek his men and all of his equipment across the ice, it was decided that some of the men would have to sail for the whaling stations of South Georgia Island. Shackleton, and 4 men set sail in one of the rescue boats, promising to return for the other men. After many days of gale force wind and swells that easily could have capsized their boat, they arrived at South Georgia Island. Upon their arrival, they realized that the winds had landed them on the wrong side of the island and they would have to traverse a mountain range to get to the whaling stations. Leaving 2 more weak men at the landing site, Shackleton and the others spent 3 days without sleep trying to get across the mountain range. After many wrong turns, and having to back track several times, the finally made it to the whaling stations. They quickly gathered the rescue team, and retrieved the 2 men left at the other side of the island. Then they set sail for the ship wreck only to find the pack ice was too dangerous to get close enough for a rescue.

After 3 attempts and several days at sea, the men are finally rescued.

What is more amazing than the leadership and courage that Shackleton and his men displayed, is that not one of them died. It is truly a testament to the explorer's spirit that Shackleton kept his men together and their morale high to get them through this nightmare.

This book is a must read.

Historical Books

• Books > Subjects > Biographies & Memoirs
• People, A-Z > ( S ) > Shackleton, Ernest
• Specific Groups > Adventurers & Explorers
• History > Australia & Oceania > Polar Regions
• Travel > Polar Regions > Antarctica